They are the champions, my friend...• Charley Thomas and his M&M Junior men from Grande Prairie. An amazing story. 4-4 in mid-week, the lead's father suddenly dies back home, his son decides to stay and compete and they win five in a row to win the title. The funeral is this Thursday. Should the Albertans laugh or cry? They'll do much of both this week.
• Mandy Selzer and her gals from tiny Balgonie, Sask., which is about 25 kms east of Regina. It's the first time a Balgonie team has won a national title, let alone a provincial, and now they're off to Jeonju, Korea for the worlds. Can you say culture shock?
• Janet Harvey of Winnipeg, off to the STOH in London. The top Manitoba money team this year after Jennifer Jones, who is of course already there as Team Canada. Not bad.
• Andrea Kelly of New Brunswick. The 2005 national junior champ lost her provincial junior final and wasn't in TBay on the weekend. Instead she was winning the women's STOH berth into London. Wonder which event she preferred to play in?
• Cathy King. Edmonton's curling queen is back again, and her squad is a major threat this year. Undefeated in the Alta provincial. That's kinda tough to do.
• Kelly Scott, back in the Scott. The only surprise here is that she entered the event. It's really too easy to forget that if not for a poor lead stone – plus a bad call – early in the 10th end of the Trials final in Halifax, her squad might be waiting on Torino.
• Heather Strong in Newfoundland. They played terribly at their hometown STOH last year, but travelled a bit this fall and had a solid Tour season. They'll do better in London.
• Kerry Koe of The Territories. Same squad as last year, which means Canadian curling's best female vocalist will be on stage in the Heart Stop Lounge. What are we talking about? Just be there.
• Chris Daw, skip of the Paralympic wheelchair curling team in Turin. The squad was announced last month but here's a look at the man charged with last brick.
• And finally... Colleen Jones (photo). Yes, she's back.
Amazing? Yes.
Surprising? Not really.
Does she gain more respect with this win? Yes.
Can she win the STOH?
Who the heck knows?
Elsewhere:
Blabbermouth calls it the "cheesiest ever", but we love it nontheless... a look at curling in KC, and outdoors in Bismark... BOA's U.S. Olympic sponsorship will be revisited after Turin, and the success (or not) of the Curl Girls could be pivotal... and this story may be the weirdest thing we've ever seen. And Blogfans know we are experts on the curling weird... er, world.
Another nice wrap up of the week. Enjoyed the posts from the Lakehead. Seems to me that the girls might be in tough at the Worlds. Wish them the best, but...
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see so few upsets on the women's side. Maybe NB, but that doesn't really seem like an upset.
Starting to think the provincial junior championships need a few more ways in — how many provinces have something like a Challenge Round for juniors or berths out of bonspiels?